A failure to diagnose heart attack lawyer specializes in helping victims of this type of medical malpractice to get the compensation they deserve from the liable party whose negligence caused the harm.
In order to establish that the failure to diagnose a heart attack was a form of medical negligence, there are four facts that must be established:
- A doctor-patient relationship existed, causing the defendant to owe you a duty of care.
- The doctor failed to recognize a heart attack immediately after or while it was occurring or overlooked signs of an impending heart attack, thus breaching the standard of care.
- This breach led to the patient’s harm.
- The patient suffered damages which they are seeking from the defendant.
Ogg, Murphy & Perkosky, P.C. has recovered millions of dollars for victims of medical malpractice and the failure to diagnose a heart attack in Pittsburgh, PA. Call (412) 471-8500 to schedule your free consultation with a failure to diagnose heart attack attorney from our law firm.
Causes of Heart Attacks
Heart attacks are caused by the sudden interruption of blood supply to the heart, which causes the muscles to become damaged or die. Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of heart attacks. Heart attack symptoms include:
- Chest pain or discomfort is the most common symptom
- Pain is also located between the shoulder blades, down the left arm, the jaw, or upper abdomen
- Palpitations
- Shortness of breath
- Extreme anxiety
- Dizziness
- Lightheadedness
- Clammy skin
Heart attack symptoms can come on quickly, but they can last for hours. The duration of symptoms varies from patient to patient. When your doctor or a loved one’s doctor fails to meet professional standards, then call Ogg, Murphy & Perkosky, P.C.
Why Does Heart Attack Misdiagnosis Happen?
A misdiagnosed heart attack occurs when a doctor or healthcare professional incorrectly diagnoses the condition, such as heart attack or acid reflux. One of the leading reasons for a delayed diagnosis or failure to diagnose a heart attack is that the patient doesn’t fit the risk profile of most other patients. For example, a misdiagnosed heart attack occurs more often in women than men when they report chest pains or anxiety. Failure to diagnose women who show heart attack symptoms is known to contribute to more women suffering from cardiac issues than men. Unfortunately, many women are misdiagnosed with anxiety attacks or even musculoskeletal pain.
A top reason for a heart attack misdiagnosis is that the doctor failed to take a complete medical history. Patients will only tell the doctor what they are asked to tell, and the doctors are supposed to know what to ask to get the information they need from their patients. Whether the professional is a general physician or cardiologist, they should be asking about diet, medications you’re taking, and your family history.
Another thing that many patients don’t realize their doctor should be asking about is their personal life. Someone with an extremely stressful job who lost a spouse or went through a similarly traumatic and painful experience is probably experiencing more stress than the average person. The physician may also not be asking the right questions about high blood pressure or heart attack symptoms, such as headaches caused by high blood pressure. Unfortunately, many doctors don’t spend more than 10 minutes with their patients, which is not enough time to physically examine them to learn what risk factors and what life choices affect their overall health.
Why You Need to Contact a Failure to Diagnose Heart Attack Lawyer
Medical malpractice verdicts can ruin a doctor’s career, so they take these lawsuits very seriously. They or their hospitals will hire the best defense attorneys they can find, so you need a heart attack lawyer who has the expertise and experience to fight for you. There are many different types of defenses that they will use. First, they will argue that an expert witness’s testimony is not reliable or that they are not capable of speaking with authority on a misdiagnosed heart attack, heart attack symptoms, or delayed diagnosis.
Still, even if an expert has sufficient credentials to testify, a judge could bar their testimony. They can do so if their opinion is not considered reliable or if the other side can argue that the expert’s opinion is not based on commonly-accepted medical principles. This is why Ogg, Murphy & Perkosky, P.C. uses highly qualified expert witnesses to build cases for our clients.
Another reason you need a heart attack attorney is to get the full amount that you are owed in damages. Doctors are only liable to the extent that their patients are harmed by a mistake. Insurance companies are notorious for hiring private investigators who could find pictures of you on social media with friends or family and claim that your heart attack wasn’t as severe as you claim.
Lastly, they may argue that your loved one’s heart attack was not caused by an error or a mistake by the doctor and that even if they had diagnosed it correctly it wouldn’t have changed the outcome.
Instead of representing yourself, call medical malpractice attorney at Ogg, Murphy & Perkosky, P.C. at (412) 471-8500 so that we can handle your delayed diagnosis case for you in Pittsburgh, PA. You deserve to have a strong legal team using their time and resources to get you the compensation you deserve for your misdiagnosed heart attack.
Ogg, Murphy & Perkosky, P.C’s main office is located at 245 Fort Pitt Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, only about 8 minutes from Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, just over a mile away from The Andy Warhol Museum, and about 2 minutes away from the Point State Park. Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium is only 12 minutes away. Gary Ogg, Mike Murphy, John Perkosky, David Houk, and Ben Gobel, the principal attorneys at Ogg, Murphy & Perkosky, P.C, are your trusted source for addressing personal injury, medical malpractice, and workers’ compensation cases. With a proven history of expertise and success, Ogg, Murphy & Perkosky ensures your legal representation instills confidence in every aspect of your case. Call our Pittsburgh law firm today at (412) 471-8500 with further questions.